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Pokémon Strategies and MovesetsPost your team lineups, get your team rated or rate other teams, talk about lineups, talk about moves/movesets, strategies, etc. For general talk about the games, go to the respective Pokémon game forums.

So I'm very slowly transfering into the competitive environment, and I was hoping to get some advice on a UU team I made earlier today. I haven't tested it out at all, yet, but it looks pretty decent to me...the typing seems to work nicely, but I know there's a lot more to the competitive environment than not having a team super weak to one type. SO, without further ado, I present my UU team, in no particular order (since I haven't chosen a lead yet =/).

Alright, so there are just a few things I want to tell you off the bat. First of all, you definitely have the right mindset insofar as EV spreads and very generally with movesets, too. However, moves like Iron Defense aren't too good because for example when I see a Donphan out to wall my Rhyperior, I won't be staying in! I'll switch out to a Pokemon like Rotom-Wash forme so that I can smack you with a Hydro Pump, which Iron Defense does nothing to save you from. Donphan is better off running a coverage move to go along with Earthquake rather than Iron Defense so that it can hit stuff like Flying-types. I'd recommend either Stone Edge or Head Smash; either can work. Blastoise would also prefer a different move over Iron Defense.

Pikachu is also, sadly, not very good competitively. Light Ball works to boost its stats but it's really really frail and dies to a lot of things. Even weak STAB (same type attack bonus) moves deal heavy and/or fatal damage to it. I'd much rather use something with a little more bulk so it can actually abuse its attacking prowess. However, if you are dead set on using Pikachu, I'd rather see something like a mixed SubPunch set so you can abuse the fact that Light Ball increases both attacking stats. The set looks something like this:

The only problem with Pikachu is Light Ball is currently unobtainable in Gen V, so you'll have to make do with Zapdos:
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power (Grass/Ice)
-Heat Wave/Roar
-Roost
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP/228 Def/32 Spe
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Pressure

Hm, well I guess I won't be able to use this team for a while, then; I started building the team by saying 'I want to use a Pikachu, just for the fun of it', so he's gotta stay. Supposing Light Ball will eventually be released, I'll probably adopt a SubPunch set at that time, like you suggested, since I had been looking at that set for a while but decided to go against it.

Bisharp does look like a pretty solid lead, now that you mention it. I'm not sure exactly which moveset I want to adopt for him yet...

Yeah, I know Articuno's pretty weak to rock and whatnot. Sigilyph might make a nice substitute, but I kinda don't want another psychic type since Alakazam's already there. Are there any other nice Flyers/Levitaters that would fill a a similar role on the team? The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is maybe a Weezing, but I don't think it fits the part quite well enough for my liking.

Wow. I completely forgot Suicune was UU this gen. Wow. I'm wondering if I was secretly trying to pick Pokemon I thought might end up in a future NU tier, to be honest, now that I look back on that oversight. But either way, yeah, I'm definately replacing Blastoise with Suicune as a bulky water type. I'm a little iffy on using a RestTalk combo on anyone anymore, since I know sleep mechanics got changed this gen...I'll think on what set I want there, too.

As for Donphan and Alakazam...I'll think on your suggestions, too. I'll put up a fixed team later, once I decide on the new movesets and stuff. In the meantime, I'll take any more suggestions anyone might have. (:

Actually, Mandibuzz looks like a great substitute. Not the exact same role as Articuno, but Suicune's not filling the exact role that Blastoise had, so I think together they'll rebalance the "jobs" I'm kind of assigning to everyone on the team. And that keeps the types balanced a little bit better, since the dual-typing on Mandibuzz and Bisharp give them some different weaknesses.

Alright, so, here's my editted team for when I can have a Light Ball Pikachu (I will probably make another UU team that doesn't rely on him in the coming week, so stay tuned for that thread). I have a couple of questions I've left at the end that I'd like opinions/answers to. Thanks again, guys. (:

Item dilema: I don't like repeating items on my team, because I know that I wouldn't be allowed to if I decided to enter an official tournament. Other than leftovers...what will go well on Donphan or Mandibuzz, since only one of them can get Lefties...

For Alakazam: How much more useful is Grass Knot over Energy Ball? Are most of the Pokemon I'm going to want to hit with that heavy enough for Grass Knot to actually be the stronger move?

Also for Alakazam: I can't decide on the final spot. Do you guys think a fighting or a rock type move would be best for the team as a whole? If fighting is the answer, in your opinion, is the lower accuracy on Focus Blast really worth the extra power?

For Bisharp: I looked up how Metal Burst works, and that looks killer. I'm just not sure how to use it effectively. Am I just supposed to use it when the opponent's lead is something I expect to bring me down to my Sash?

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